Tears of happiness poked at the edges of Vaggie's eyes as she squealed her girlfriend's name, "Charlie!"
"Hey, Vaggie!" Charlie said cheerfully. "I'm sorry I'm late! But I'm here now! I'll take care of this, so don't you worry!"
Happy tears fell from Vaggie's eyes as she silently nodded while handing Molly back her phone.
In the car behind them, Alastor narrowed his eyes and growled while opening another hole of tentacles on the side of the road that Charlie also burned up before they could reach the limo.
In a second, Charlie transformed into her demon form complete with horns and said to Vaggie in a distorted voice, "Get down, Vaggie. This is going to get ugly."
"Okay, Charlie, but be careful," Vaggie warned.
"Don't worry about me," Charlie replied. "Worry about protecting yourself and everyone in the car. I'll be fine, Vaggie. I'll handle this and get us home."
"Don't make promises you can't keep, princess…" a sinister voice crackled through the radio.
"ALASTOR!" Charlie shrieked. "LEAVE MY GIRLFRIEND AND MY FRIENDS ALONE!"
A laugh track following Alastor's terrifying laugh played over the radio before Alastor responded, "Princess, do you really think I'll give up on pursuing my fiancée just like that? I have claimed Vaggie for myself. It doesn't matter to me that you and she were together before I came into the picture. Vaggie is mine."
Vaggie shuddered fearfully, prompting Molly to sit her down and give her a supportive hug.
"You're wrong!" Charlie snapped back. "Vaggie is mine! She will never ever be yours! I don't care how powerful you are! If you think I'll even let you touch her again, you have another thing coming!"
"Hahaha! Talk is cheap, little Charlie," Alastor said maliciously summoning his voodoo familiars from the ground surrounding his car as a static cloud grew around him and the Spider Family who were shuddering in their seats. "And, as my Mother would say, actions speak louder than words!"
The static cloud and the swarm of voodoo familiars flew through the ground and the air towards the limo in front of them.
"Oh, shit," Vaggie muttered as her eyes grew as wide as saucers. "Cherri, step on it!"
"You don't have to tell me twice," Cherri quipped seeing the disaster following behind them through the rearview mirror.
Cherri promptly slammed on the gas to gain some distance.
In the meantime, Charlie opened rifts of fire behind the limo, quickly separating her group from Alastor's.
"Oh, shit!" Henroin screamed, swerving the car to the side and pressing on the brakes.
Henroin pressed on the brakes causing the car to swerve and stop on its shotgun side, just barely avoiding falling into the pit.
Henroin put the car in park and hyperventilated at the wheel.
"Dammit," Arackniss said looking into the fiery pit. "What do we do now?"
"Leave it to me," Alastor said.
Then with a snap of his fingers, Alastor used his magic to create a road over the fiery pits.
Meanwhile, back in the limo, everything was going smoothly. The roads were unobstructed, and everyone was finally starting to breathe.
Charlie continued creating fiery pits behind the limo as it sped away. Vaggie and Molly sat down inside the limo under the sunroof while Cherri continued speeding down the road. Angel laid down on the backseat with his eyes closed.
Molly rubbed Angel's head, held his hand, and said, "Hey, Angel. Charlie's here and she's helping us get away. When you wake up, we'll be back at the hotel."
"Go, Charlie, go," Angel muttered without opening his eyes.
"Angie?" Cherri asked in concern. "Angie, how are you still awake?"
Angel's eyes fluttered open and he exclaimed, "Vaggie, you need to come back to my fluffy tits! You still need to hide!"
"Angel, get a hold of yourself," Vaggie replied annoyedly while laying his hand on his shoulder.
"I'm trying, babe, but I can't stay awake," Angel said, grabbing onto Vaggie's hand. "I can't keep you safe anymore."
Vaggie squeezed Angel's hand, smiled, and replied, "Angel, you've done enough to keep me safe. Don't worry. We can take care of things from here."
The serum finally took hold of Angel, and he was quickly losing consciousness.
"Okay, Vaggie," Angel said slowly. "Whatever happens. Promise me you'll kick ass."
Vaggie smiled warmly and said, "I promise, Angel."
"And one more thing…" Angel said as he shut his eyes and drifted away. "Thank you for not leaving me."
"Ditto," Molly added.
"Sleep tight, buddy," Cherri called out from the front seat. "We'll get you home."
Angel then completely lost consciousness and drifted off to sleep.
"You're welcome, Angel," Vaggie said with a warm smile as she covered him with the straitjacket.
"Oh, my God…" Cherri muttered fearfully, prompting Molly and Vaggie to immediately look through the window.
To their horror, an innumerable swarm of voodoo doll familiars were jumping and climbing and practically flying through the pits despite the flames.
"Charlie!" Vaggie yelled through the sunroof.
"I see them, Vaggie," Charlie replied.
Charlie summoned more fire that consumed the voodoo familiars at first. But as suddenly as it started, the fire extinguished and the pit returned to road.
"What?" Charlie almost whispered as she every fire pit she summoned kept getting extinguished.
"Charlie?!" Vaggie asked poking her head through the sunroof. "Charlie, what's going on?!"
"I have no idea!" Charlie yelled in a panic as she desperately created another pit of fire only to have it extinguished immediately as the swarm of voodoo familiars passed harmlessly over.
The familiars were gaining on them, and no one could figure out what was happening until Charlie heard a familiar voice yell her name.
"CHARLOTTE!"
Everyone in the car looked up to see Lucifer, the King of Hell, flying over the vehicle with his large black fallen angel wings.
"DAD?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" Charlie yelled fearfully pausing only for a moment before snarling and angrily throwing fireworks in his direction. "Stay the fuck out of our way!"
Lucifer masterfully dodged the fireworks and unflappably replied, "Upholding my end of the bargain."
"What bargain?!" Charlie asked. "What are you talking about?!"
"Our bargain of course," Alastor's voice called out from down the road.
Charlie, Molly, Vaggie, and Cherri looked behind them to see that, to their horror, Alastor was rising on a summoned pit of his tentacles while Henroin and Arackniss were driving behind him on the road summoned to traverse the pit.
"Oh, shit," Vaggie muttered in a terrified whisper.
Vaggie's voice shook Charlie out of her fearful stupor. She summoned fire on both of her hands and prepared to strike at Alastor.
Unfortunately, before Charlie could strike, Alastor opened a pit of tentacles directly under the car. The tentacles wrapped around Charlie and the limo.
Then, before the ladies in the car could fight back, Alastor telekinetically shut off the car, closed the tentacle pit, and allowed the limo to drop onto the road, knocking Vaggie unconscious in the process when her head slammed against the limo's ceiling.
"Vaggie!" Molly yelled as she crawled over and desperately tried to shake Vaggie awake. "Vaggie! Wake up!"
"Goddammit," Cherri said, summoning bombs in her hands.
The car Henroin was driving finally arrived on the other side of the pits just as Alastor was telekinetically opening the car doors.
Alastor then telekinetically lifted an unconscious Angel and began pulling him out of the car.
"No…" Molly said, trying to grab him.
"Wait," Cherri said. "If this is our last stand, we need to plan this out. Let him go for now."
Molly reluctantly obeyed and allowed Alastor to telekinetically move Angel out of the car and over to where he was standing.
"Angel!" Charlie cried struggling desperately against the restraints her father had her in. "Don't hurt him, please!"
"Hush!" Lucifer chided.
"What's wrong with Angel?" Arackniss asked, hopping out of the car. "Did he get knocked out?"
Alastor briefly smelled Angel's fur while he hovered in front of him and said, "No, it seems that he's been drugged. Valentino's doing no doubt."
BAM!
Without a warning, a bomb exploded between Alastor and the Spider Family. Shots of bazookas followed the gunfire, covering the area completely in smoke.
"Go, go, go!" Cherri yelled at Molly as she dashed through the smoke with her guns blazing and grabbed Angel.
Unfortunately, before either of them could get much further, Alastor's tentacles grabbed Molly and Cherri and held them still.
Lucifer then summoned a wind that blew the smoke away.
"Thank you, your highness," Alastor said with a bow before turning back to Henroin and Arackniss who were now standing in front of him a couple yards away. "Now, where were we? Oh, yes…"
Alastor telekinetically flew Angel to the Spider Family and said, "I do believe this mess belongs to you."
"Thanks, Alastor," Henroin said, lifting his arms in expectation.
"Oh, there's no need for that," Alastor said, flying Angel above their heads and into the backseat of the car behind them. "I'll simply move him back into your limo once we return to the mansion."
Alastor snapped his fingers and released the tentacles restraining Cherri and Molly.
As soon as she hit the ground, Cherri summoned some more bombs, ran towards the car, and yelled, "Let go of Angel or I'll blow you to kingdom come!"
Alastor smiled maliciously as he snapped his fingers again and the straitjacket that was lying on the floor of the limo instantly teleported onto Cherri, restraining her arms instantly. He snapped his fingers again and the bombs teleported into the sky where they harmlessly exploded without hurting anyone while Molly watched helplessly.
Alastor then telekinetically pushed Cherri to Arackniss who held her in place.
"Do with this young firecracker what you wish," Alastor said. "Though if I may make a suggestion, I think you should sell her to Sir Pentious. He couldn't give me anything I wanted for Angel, but his weapons and technology may be of use for you."
"Excellent idea," Henroin said with a wicked smile. "Arackniss, get her in the car."
"Yes, Dad," Arackniss said, grabbing onto Cherri's shoulders as he opened the door to the back seat.
Cherri refused to move and struggled viciously against the restraints of her straitjacket.
"LET ME GO, YOU FUCKING BASTARDS!" Cherri screamed as she twisted and bucked against Arackniss's grip, unable to escape his strength despite his slightly smaller stature.
Alastor snapped his fingers again and Cherri was teleported under Angel's torso. The dead weight held her down so that she couldn't move. Molly stood there helplessly trying to find a solution while Charlie struggled against the tentacles' hold.
Arackniss opened the car door, put the seatbelt around Cherri, and said, "We can't thank you enough for your generosity, Alastor. Are ya sure there's nothing we can give ya in return?"
Cherri thrashed against this additional restraint and snarled, "Keep your fucking hands of me, ya piece-of-shit!"
Arackniss turned to Cherri, shut the car door, leaned against it, and said, "Listen here, girly. Ya need to watch that mouth if ya know what's good for ya. If I were you, sugar, I wouldn't be so nasty. Besides…"
Arackniss reached into the car and stroked a hand against Cherri's face before he finished, "…you're a cutie. In exchange for a good time, I might consider letting you go…"
"ARACKNISS!" Henroin and Molly both snapped at once.
"What?" Arackniss replied, turning to his Dad and not noticing Cherri sink her teeth into his hand. "Can't I ever get anything good out of these…OWWWWWWWWWWW!"
Cherri quickly let go of Arackniss's injured hand and spat in his face, forcing him to reel back from his perch.
"Not in your afterlife, jackass!" Cherri snarled.
Alastor chuckled and said, "Just be sure to keep Angel and his friends under your thumb and away from my bride."
"Can do," Henroin replied, walking back to the car. "Now go get your bride and let's get ya home. Come on, Molly."
"Like Hell!" Molly snarled.
"Excuse me?" Henroin asked, turning on his heels and stopping in his tracks.
"I wish I could say that this surprises me, but it doesn't," Molly chided as she strode right into her father's face. "Every time I think you two couldn't have gone any lower, you always manage to go even deeper. And now, you're going to torture my twin brother!"
"It's for Anthony's own good," Henroin replied with a shrug.
"Bullshit," Cherri shrieked from the car.
Alastor snapped his fingers and a gag covered Cherri's mouth.
"Let Cherri go, you sons-of-bitches!" Molly cried.
Meanwhile, Vaggie had come to in the limo. She saw the scene around the corner of the door and watched Molly as she continued to make her protest.
Vaggie looked up at Lucifer, who was watching the scene with amusement, and Charlie, whose eyes immediately locked with hers.
With tears of desperation flowing down her cheeks, Charlie gestured with her head for Vaggie to run. Vaggie wanted to stop and protest, but she knew she didn't have the time or the choice.
As the argument between Molly and her father and brother continued, Vaggie managed to sneak to the front of the car unnoticed, shut the doors carefully and quietly, got the car out of park, and stepped on the gas.
It was then that Alastor finally noticed what was happening. He summoned more of his voodoo doll familiars and immediately sent them dashing after the limo.
As everyone watched wordlessly, Charlie opened a large rift of fire to try to keep the familiars away.
Unfortunately, as soon as the rifts were opened, Lucifer closed them again allowing the familiars to catch up to the limo and use their combined strength of numbers to lift the limo off the ground.
"Dammit!" Vaggie yelled out in frustration as the familiars popped the tires and placed the limo back on the road.
Alastor instantly teleported over to the driver's side and opend the door.
Vaggie glared at Alastor with all the hatred she had in her being and snarled, "I hate you."
Alastor scoffed with an amused smirk and replied, "Give it time, dear."
Alastor then blew a red mist onto Vaggie's face. Vaggie tried to wave it away as she coughed and started to blink drowsily.
Charlie quickly realized what was happening and yelled, "VAGGIE!" before Alastor covered her mouth with part of the tentacle.
Molly shook out of her stupor and tried to dash over to help Vaggie, but her father held her back and wouldn't let her go.
"Alastor!" Molly cried. "What are you doing to Vaggie?!"
Vaggie fainted where she sat, and Alastor picked her up in his arms and replied, "Regaining my side of the bargain."
Alastor teleported with his bride back to the side of the car while summoning a portal to Valentino's building that his familiars immediately shoved the limo through before returning to their shadow forms and disappearing. He looked at Vaggie's sleeping face with a contented smile and lovingly moved her hair out of her face before telekinetically opening the car door.
"My bride and I are ready to return to the manor, Henroin," Alastor said as he climbed in and took his seat.
"You got it," Henroin said, shutting Alastor's door and walking back to the wheel of the car. "Molly, get in the car! You can cram in the back with Arackniss."
"Fuck you!" Molly screeched.
"What did you just say to me?!" Henroin snarled.
"You heard me!" Molly retorted. "You are no longer my father! You are dead to me! I'd rather walk across all of Hell than ride in a car with you!"
Molly then turned around and started walking away as Henroin snapped, "That is not a request, ya dumb broad! Alastor, could ya help me?!"
"Say no more," Alastor said snapping his fingers without removing his gaze from his sleeping beauty's peaceful face.
Alastor snapped his fingers and Molly instantly teleported to the middle seat in the backseat under Angel and buckled her in with the seatbelt.
"Fuck all of you!" Molly snarled as Arackniss climbed in the car next to her.
"Alrighty, everyone," Alastor said merrily. "It's time for us to be going. Thanks again for your help, Lucifer."
"You are quite welcome, Alastor," Lucifer said. "Now, let go of my daughter and go on your way."
Alastor snapped his fingers, allowing Charlie to fall onto the road.
Charlie angrily got to her feet and attempted to dash to the car only for her father to hold her back.
"That's enough, Charlotte," Lucifer chided.
Charlie fought against her father's arms and yelled in desperate anger, "ALASTOR, YOU'RE FIRED!"
Alastor looked up from his position in the car, flashed a large smile, and teleported in front of Charlie.
"Dear," Alastor began with a patronizing smirk. "As I recall, our agreement was that I would help you with the hotel as long as I returned. Was it not? I still desire to help out, so I will continue to help out as much I desire."
"I can make a deal," Charlie pleaded.
"Charlotte!" Lucifer yelled, summoning his wings and flying them both in the air to get away from Alastor. "I won't let you make a deal with any overlord! Now, stop being so fucking stupid! I apologize for this, Alastor."
Alastor chuckled merrily and said, "Don't worry about it, your majesty. Just keep your daughter away from me and my beautiful wife until the day after the wedding unless she has a real change of heart and we'll call it even."
"Agreed," Lucifer replied. "Enjoy the rest of your night. I'll see you at the wedding."
Alastor bowed his head a final time and said, "See you then. Have a wonderful night, you two! Let's go, Henroin."
Without another word, Henroin turned on the car and drove back to the manor on the now-restored road.
When the car was out of sight, Charlie summoned her wings, broke out of her father's grip, turned to face him with her glowing red eyes and tear-soaked face, and said, "Dad, how could you?!"
Lucifer sighed and replied, "When you're in power over a kingdom such as mine, there are sacrifices you have to make to keep order. That, and frankly, your efforts to redeem these sinners with that hotel of yours are fucking embarrassing."
"FUCK YOU!" Charlie screeched before turning to fly over to the manor only for her to freeze in place. "Dad, what are you…?"
"If you won't willing keep yourself safe away from Alastor," Lucifer said flying in front of Charlie and summoning a portal to his castle as his dark energy held her in place. "I have no choice but to use force."